Half to the adriance



3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

S. C. THOMPSON.

GRAIN BINDER.

Patented July 16, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. Q

s. 0. THOMPSON.

GRAIN BINDER.

No. 542,742. Patented July 16, 1895.

UNITED STATES r PATENT OFFICE.

SUMNER C. THOMPSON, .OF POUGIIKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THE ADRIANCE, PLATT & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

QRAIN-BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,742, dated Ju1y 16, 1895.

Application filed runes, 1893. Serial No. 476,913- tNomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it-known that I, SUMNER O. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grain-binders of the low-down type, in'which the grain is delivered to the binder mechanism by sprocketwheels instead of an elevator, such, for in-.

plan view of a grain-binder provided with my' improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are vertical cross-sections in lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5, Fig. 1, respectively. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the feed-roller and the front intermediate feed-wheel. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of one of the sprockets and the point of the needle shown in dotted lines.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures. The main frame of the machine consists, essentially, of longitudinal sills A A A and cross-sills B B, connecting thefront and rear portion of the longitudinal sills.

0 represents the cutter mechanism; 0, the endless apron, which carries the grain toward the stnbbleward side of the machine, and c the roller supportingthe delivery portion of the apron.

D represents the hollow feed-roller, which is arranged lengthwise over the delivery-roller c and which is provided at its'front and rear ends with heads 61 at, having trunnion's (1 61 which are journaled in bearings d 01 arranged on the main frame. The feed-roller pelled to move with the same.

is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5c 3, by a gear-wheel e,.formed on the front head at of the feed-roller and connected with the driving mechanism in the usual manner.

E represents curved springs, which are secured to the innerlongitudinal sill A opposite the stubbleward side of the feed-roller and which form with the latter the throat through which the cut grain is moved upwardly by the feed-roller.

r F F F F F represent feed-wheels, which are mounted on the feed-roller and which are provided with teeth or sprockets f. The grain is carried from the apron upwardly through the throat by these feed-wheels, and the latter are aided in this work by the usual clearanceroller f. Each feed-wheel is provided with a bifurcated rim or face and consists, preferably, of two parts, which are secured together with their hub portions and separated at their face portions by an annular space. The end feed-wheels F F are rigidly secured to the front and rear'ends of the feed-roller, while the central and intermediate feed-wheels F F F are capable of length wise adjustment on the feed-roller for-the purpose of adapting the feed-wheels to grain of different lengths. The central and intermediate feed-wheels are each provided with a cross-bar f passing diametrically through longitudinal slots f formed in diametrically-opposite sides of the feed-roller.

f is a shifting-rod whereby the movable feed-wheels are adjusted. This rod is arranged lengthwise within the feed-roller and passes loosely through the front trunnion d of the same. The central and rear intermediate feed-wheels F? F are rigidly secured to the rear portion of the shifting-rod and are com- The front intermediate feed Wheel F is compelled to 0 move with the shifting-rod only during the lastportion of its forward movement by means of a projection or pin f arranged on said rod and bearing against the rear side of this wheel. During the first portion of the backward 5' movement of the shifting-rod this wheel is re turned to its normal position by a springf surrounding the shifting-rod and bearing the grain is delivered to form the gavel.

with its ends against the front head of the feed-roller and the front side of this wheel.

G represents the end scroll-arms, G the central scroll-arm, and G G the front and rear intermediate scroll-arms, which form the receptacle above the feed-roller into which The end scroll-arms are secured with their rear sides to upper and lower rails g g. The central and rear intermediate scroll-arms are provided with eyes g 9 which are connected by a movable rod 9 guided in eyes g 9 arranged on the lower rail g. The lower cresent-shaped portion of each scroll-arm projects into the upper portion of the annular space formed between the two parts of the adjacent feed-wheel, which compels the movable scrollarms to move with the movable feed-wheels upon shifting the latter.

represents an eye formed on the scrollarm G and mounted loosely on the rod 9 This eye isadapted to engage against the eye g and limits the backward movement of the front intermediate feed-wheel F and its scrollarm G movementof this feed-wheel bythe meansjust described, this result can be accomplished by stops or pins g which are secured across the slots f of the feed-roller in rear of this feedwheel, as represented in Fig. 6. If desired, both of these devices can be used together, one stopping the rearward movement of the scroll-arm and the other the rearward movement of the wheel itself.

H represents the binder-deck arranged on the opposite side of the throat, and h represents a knotter mechanism of any suitable construction arranged underneath the binderdeck.

I represents the binder arm or needle arranged between the scroll-arms G G and mounted on a rock-shaft i, which is journaled in a rocking standard 71. When the gavel is of the proper size the binder-needle carries the same across the throat to the binder-deck where the twine is tied around the gavel and the'bundle is formed.

1' represents a butt-hook, which is secured to the rock-shaftt'between the front intermediate and central scroll-arms G G, and which aids the needle by carrying the butt-end of the gavel from the receptacle to the binderdeck. The finished bundle is discharged rearwardly from the machine by a fork J. lhe binder mechanism is mounted upon a sliding frame is, which is capableof longitudinal adjustment by means of a hand-lever 7t and a rod to adapt the binding mechanism for different lengths of grain. and the shifting-rod f are connected at their front ends by a curved cross-piece k whereby the adjusting movement of this frame causes the simultaneous adjustment of the feed mechanism for the better handling of different lengths of grain.

Heretofore only the central feed-wheel 11" Instead of arresting the backward The sliding frame and its scroll-arm G have been made adj us't'- able, the adjustability of these parts being necessary to feed the grain up against the tripping mechanism and to secure a suitable passage for the needle through the incoming grain. In such construction when the feedwheel and scroll were moved forward with the needle for binding short grain it frequently left the grain entirely unsupported in the rear of the needle, permitting it to fall back into the throatway and wind on the feedroller, thereby clogging the machine. Frequently, also, the grain would be of such length that the heads would come in line of the rear intermediate feed -wheel and be thrashed out by the teeth thereof. This thrashing tendency prevented also proper confinement of the grain from above.

By making the rear intermediate feed-wheel F and its scroll-arm G movable with the central feed-wheel and scroll-arm the rear intermediate feed-whecl is properly adjusted with the central wheel, so as to act upon the grain between the needle and the heads of the grain, and the rear intermediate scroll-arm is there by properly adjusted to support the grain in rear of the needle and prevent it from winding on the feed-roller. At the same time the scroll-arm G can be extended stubbleward over the feed-roller to better confine loose grain from above, as represented in Fig. 4, and the scroll and feed-roller can be adjusted to avoid interference with the heads of the grain. During the first portion of the forward adjustment of the binder mechanism the front intermediate feed-wheel and its scroll-arm G are not shifted, and the butthook is at a sufficient distance in rear of In former constructions having the front intermediate feed-wheel fixed in position, so that the butt-hook had to pass it in its forward movement, the length and sweep of the butt-hook was limited. Interference with the butt-hook in the forward movement has also IIO prevented the extension stubbleward of the scroll G to overhang the feed-roller and thereby form a more perfect receptacle for the the gavel from the incoming grain on about the same line, causing the bundle tobe bound bleward, so as to overhang the feed-roller,-

thereby forming a more complete inclosure at the top of the gavel-receptacle, as represented in Fig. 5, and preventing any loose grain from being caught back of the butt-hook on its return over the roller. The butt-hook extends across the bight of this extended scroll-arm as the butt-hook swings downward, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 5.

M M represent non-rotatable sleeves or covers for the feed-roller arranged between the rear intermediate and rearend feedwheels F F. The sleeve M is held against turning by an arm m secured to the lower rail 9 or by other suitable means. The sleeve M covers the sleeve M and is secured to the eye of the rear intermediate scroll-arm G by an arm m, which causes this sleeve to be adjusted simultaneously with the binder mechanism. These sleeves cover the feed-roller between the feed-wheels F F sufficiently to prevent i any head ends of the grain from being caught in the feed-roller and wound around the same, thereby interfering with the feeding of the grain into the gavel-receptacle, which is liable to occur when that portion of the feed-roller is exposed. Upon shifting the binder mechanism the adjustable sleeve M telescopes over the stationary sleeve M, thereby covering the rear portion of the feed-roller in the various positions of the feed-wheels.

The teeth or sprockets of the feed-wheels are provided with doubleconvex faces, forming an upwardly-projecting enlargement n at the root of each sprocket. The movement of the needle is so timed that its point stands opposite this enlargement of the sprocket, as represented in Fig. 7, when the sprocket bridges theupper portion ofthe throat. This enlargement supports the grain above the point of the needle and prevents the latter from cutting through any part of the grain which is carried on the upper surface of the sprocket and enables the needle to be started sooner in relation to the sprocket, on its way across the throat, as its point is fully protected during the initial portion of this movement by the enlargement at the root of the sprocket. This renders it possible for the needle to re move the grain from thepoint of the sprocket before the same in its movement presents a greatly-retarding angle to such movement of the grain and to remove the accumulated grain when either of the sprockets bridges the upper portion of the throat. Heretofore each feed-wheel has been provided with two feeding-sprockets and two bridgi ng-sprockets, the feeding-sprockets alternating with the bridging-sprockets, and the two kinds of sprockets beingarranged at different angles. This arrangement, on account of the angle presented to the grain by the less rearwardlyinclined feeding-sprockets, permits a discharge of the grain only at every half-revolution of the feed-roller and produces bundles of widely different sizes, the bundle being comparatively small when the tripping takes a place just when a bridging-sprocket bridges the throat and excessively large when the tripping occurs just after a bridging-sprocket has cleared the throat.

My improved construction of the sprockets permits each sprocket to operate both as a feeding and as a bridging sprocket and. renders a discharge possible at every quarterrevolution of the feed-roller, thereby making the gavels more uniform in size and preventing choking of the machine by excessive ac cumulations in the grain-receptacle.

I" claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the feed roller and a feed wheel capable of lengthwise movementthereon, of a shifting rod passing through said feed wheel and provided with a projection in rear thereof whereby the feed wheel is moved forwardly, and a spring whereby the feed which is moved backwardly, substantially as set forth.

2. j The combination with the feed roller and a feed wheel capable of lengthwise movement thereon, of ashiftin g rod passing through said feed wheel and provided with a projection in rear thereof whereby the feed wheel is moved forwardly, a spring whereby the feed wheel is moved backwardly, and a stop whereby the rearward movement of said feed wheel is ar rested, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the feed roller and the needle, of a feed wheel arranged infront of the needle and made lengthwise adjustable on the feed roller, a lengthwise adjustable feed wheel arranged in front of said feed wheel, a shifting rod secured to said first mentioned feed wheel and provided with a projection bearing. against the rear side of said last mentioned feed wheel, and a spring bearing against the front side thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the feed roller and a. feed wheel capable of adjustment lengthwise of the feed roller, of anon-rotatable cover arranged over the feed roller adjacent to said feed wheel, and also capable of adjustment lengthwise of the feed roller, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the feed roller and the rear feed wheels which are mounted thereon, one of which is capable of adjustment toward and from the other, of a telescopic nonrotatable cover arranged over the feed roller ICC between said feed wheels, substantially as set stationary cover and secured to the adj ustforth. able scroll arm, substantially as set forth. :0

6. The combinationwith the feed roller, the fitness my hand this 2d day of June, 1893. rear feed wheel, and the rear intermediate 5 feed Wheel and its scroll arm made length- SUMNER C. THOMPSON.

Wise adjustable, of a stationary cover ar- Witnesses: ranged over the rear portion of the feed roller, G. M1 PATTEN, a'nd an adjustable cover arranged over said THOS. S. BROWN. 

